Sliding door latch



June 26, 1962 C. L. EADS SLIDING DOOR LATCH Filed Nov. 9. 1959 la 2/ 22I7, 32

(HA/P159 L. 5405,

INVENTOR.

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SLIDING DQOR LATCH Charles L. Eads, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor toAdams Rite Manufacturing Company, Glendale, C'alif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Nov. 9, 195?, Ser. No. 851,744 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-113)The present invention relates to generally to latch mechanisms, and ismore particularly concerned with a latch mechanism of the type utilizedwith sliding doors.

Heretofore latches for sliding doors have been relatively expensive dueto being constructed so as to prevent damage in the event that it isattempted to close the sliding door while the latch is in an extended orlatching position. In these constructions the problem was solved byproviding latching mechanism having the characteristics that, if thelatch is in extended or latching position when the door is closed, thelatch is able to collapse to its normal unlatched position.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify the construction ofthe latch mechanism, and yet provide a construction which will preventdamage to the mechanism in the event that the door is closed while thelatch is in extended position. To this end, the present inventionproposes to provide an arrangement wherein the latch is not collapsed toits unlatched position, but wherein the latch may be depressed from itsextended position against a spring force which will act to return thelatch to its extended position when the collapsing force is withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangementof mounting lugs which will permit the latch mechanism housing to bemounted in a recess or a cut out of the door structure or a frame, or ahandle structure associated with the door, and which will permitreversal of the mounting without change to obtain right and left-handoperation in accordance with installation requirements.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention Without placing limitationthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a latch mechanism embodyingthe present invention as applied to a sliding door, the housing coverbeing cutaway to show the working parts, the latch being in latchedposition;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the position of the workingparts, when the latch is in unlatched position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the latch member in depressedcollapsed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the latch, taken substantially online 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the housing showing the interfittingrelationship of the housing cover, and the mounting lug position; and

FIG. 6 is a side edge view of the housing showing the opening throughwhich the latch is movable to extended and retracted positions.

Referring now more specifically to the various figures of the drawings,the sliding door latch of the present invention as generally indicatedby the numeral 10 is shown as being carried by a sliding door 11, thelatch mechanism being mounted in a cutout or recess 12 which may form apart of the door frame or the actuating handle structure for the door.In any event, the latch mechanism is so mounted that a hook part 13 of alatch member 14, when in extended latched position, will be adapted toextend through an opening 15 into latching engagement with a part of anassociated door jamb 16.

3,Ml,097 Patented June 26, 1962 More specifically, the latch mechanismis mounted within an elongate substantially rectangular housing orcasing 17 of two part construction. One of the casing parts 17a isconstructed to form the main case while the other as indicated at 1712may constitute the cover portion of the housing or casing.

The housing part 17a comprises a side plate 18 with integrally formedside flanges which form side edge walls 19 and 20. At the ends of theside plate 18, integrally formed end lugs 21 project from an end edgewall 22. The plane of the end lug is parallel to the surface of the sideplate and the lug is positioned substantially midway of the depth of theside edge walls. The other part of the casing forms a cover or topportion which includes a side plate 23 of a width to fit between theside edge walls 19 and 20. At its ends, the side plate 23 is providedwith an end wall forming portion 24 which is adapted for interfittingrelation with the end wall 22.

The latch member 14 is mounted for pivotal movement between a retractedunlatched position and an extended latched position in which the hookpart 13 projects through an opening 25 in the side edge wall 19. Forsuch mounting, the latch member 14 is provided with a pivot pin 26, theends of this pin being positioned respectively in arcuate slots 27formed respectively in the side plates 18 and 23 of the housing andbeing transversely aligned. As shown in FIG. 1, the pin 26 is normallyresiliently retained at one end of the slots 27 by means of a spring 28,this spring being anchored at one end on a post 29, and having its otherend as shown at 3!) looped around the pivot pin 26. It will beappreciated that the pin and slot mounting for the latch member may bereversed without changing the operation of the device. That is, the pinmay be made stationary and supported on the casing, while the slot isarranged in the latch member.

For actuating the latch member, an actuating lever 31 is provided. Asshown primarily in FIGS. 1 and 4, this lever is composed of a pair ofside plates 32 and 33 which are retained in spaced apart relation bymeans of one or more spacing elements 34- in a handle forming projectingend 35. The other ends of the side plates 32 and 33 are enlarged toprovide a generally triangular end portion 36. Each of the end portions36 is provided with an integrally formed outwardly struck circular boss37. These bosses are transversely aligned and form pivotal supports forthe lever, the bosses respectively being rotatably supported inappropriate openings 38 side plates 17 and 18. The bosses 37 may beprovided with aligned rectangular openings as indicated by the numeral38' for removably receiving an actuating member in lieu of operation bythe handle 35.

One set of corner portions of the spaced apart triangular end portions36 are positioned on opposite sides. of the latch member and areconnected to the latch member so as to form an articulate connectiontherewith. For such purpose, a pin 39 carried by the actuating leverextends through an elongate slot 40 in the latch member. It will beappreciated, however, that this pin and slot connection may be reversedwithout changing the operation of the parts. That is, the pin may becarried by the latch member and the slots formed in the end portions 36.In either case, it will be apparent that the latch member and actuatinglever as thus connected form in effect a toggle between the pivotalmounting of the latch member and the pivotal mounting of the actuatinglever, this toggle being Operable through a dead center position as thehandle 35 of the actuating lever is moved from one limit to anotherlimit of pivotal movement. A compression spring 40 which is anchored atone end to a post 41 and connected at its other end to the end portion36 as by a pin 42 functions to resiliently move the actuating lever fromdead center position towards its respective limits of movement.

The retracted or unlatched position of the latching mechanism of thepresent invention is shown clearly in FIG. 2. The spring 4% acts toresiliently retain the latch member in a position wherein its hook part13 is disposed within the casing or housing. sliding door, with whichthe latch mechanism may be associated, is readily accomplished by merelymoving the handle end 35 of the actuating lever from a downwardlyextending angular position of its limited movement to an upwardlyextending angular position of its limited movement as shown in FIG. 1.In accomplishing the latching operation, the toggle formed by thearticulate connection of the latch member 14 and the actuating lever 31will move through a dead center position to a dead lock position asshown in FIG. 1, wherein the hook part 13 will be in latching engagementwith the door jamb 16.

In this position, the latch member is held against rotational movementabout its pivot point in a reverse direction to an unlatched position bypressure exerted against the finger part 13.

The latch member in being moved by the actuating lever from an unlatchedretracted position to a latched extended position rotates about a pivotpoint having a fixed position. The pivot point is relatively fixed forthe reason that the pivot pin 26 is resiliently retained in the left endof the slot 27 by the action of a spring 28, as shown in FIG. 1.However, with the hook part 13 extended as shown in FIG. 1, it will benoted that the pin 39 is at the center of radius of the slot 27. Whilethe latch member is dead locked in extended position against rotativemovement about its pivot point, as established by the pin 26 andassociated slot 27, the latch member may be rotated in a clockwisedirection about the pin 39 as a center by the application of acollapsing force applied against the outer edge of the hook part 13.Such a force might be occasioned by the hook part striking against thedoor jamb, when attempting to close the sliding door when the hook part13 is in extended latched position. When such force is applied againstthe hook part, the latch member is free to rotate in a clockwisedirection, the pin 26 moving along the slot 27 until the hook part ofthe latch member occupies a position within the casing or housing, asshown in FIG. 3.

Upon relieving the collapsing or moving force applied against the hookpart 13, the spring 28 will act to rotate the latch member in acounterclockwise direction so that the hook part again assumes anextended position as shown in FIG. 1. Damage of the latching mechanismunder such conditions is thereby prevented. Return of the latchmechanism to unlatched condition is readily accomplished merely byswinging the handle 35 of the actuating lever from its upper limit, asshown in FIG. 1, to its lower limit position as shown in. FIG. 2.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned,except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Latch mechanism, comprising: a housing having an opening therein; alatch member having a hook part; means pivotally mounting said latchmember for movement in a counterclockwise direction to a position inwhich the hook part lies within the housing, and ,in a clockwisedirection to an extended position in which the hook part extends throughsaid opening to the exterior of the housing, said means including a slotin an Latching of the adjacent wall of said housing and a pin movabletherein carried by said latch member; means for actuating said latchmember including a lever having an articulate connection movable througha dead center position to a dead locked position when the hook part isin said position exterior of the housing; and spring means resilientlyopposing movement of said latch in a direction to cause relativemovement of said pin in said slot, but enable said relative movement andthe further movement of said hook part in a clockwise direction from itsextended position to a position within the housing upon the applicationof a collapsing force sufficient to overcome the action of said springmeans.

2. Latch mechanism, comprising: a housing having an opening therein; alatch member having a hook part; means pivotally mounting said latchmember for movement in a counterclockwise direction to a position inwhich the hook part lies within the housing, and in a clockwisedirection to an extended position in which the hook part extends throughsaid opening to the exterior of the housing, said means including anarcuate slot in an adjacent wall of said housing and a first pin movabletherein carried by said latch members; means for actuating said latchmember including a lever having a second pin and slot connection withsaid latch and providing a toggle movable through a dead center positionto a dead locked position when the hook part is in said extendedposition exterior of the housing; and spring means resiliently opposingmovement of said latch in a direction to cause relative movement of saidfirst pin in its associated slot, but enable said relative movement andthe further movement of the latch in a clockwise direction about thepivot pin of said second pivot pin and slot connection of said leverwith the latch so as to position said hook part within the housing uponthe application of a collapsing force suliicient to overcome the actionof said spring means.

3. Latch mechanism, comprising: a housing including a wall having a slottherein; a latch member in said housing; a pin carried by said latchpositioned in said slot for supporting said latch for movement in aclockwise direction to extended position and in a counterclockwisedirection to a retracted position; spring means normally retaining saidpin at one end of said slot during said latch movements; a manuallyoperable actuating lever pivoted for swinging movement through a deadcenter point from one limit position to another limit position; meansbiasing said lever from said dead center point towards each of saidlimits; and articulate means including a pivot and slot connectionbetween the swingable end of said lever and said latch forming a togglemovable through a dead center position to a dead locked position withrespect to the extended latch, when the lever is in one of its limitpositions, and said pivot in the extended position of said latch forminga pivot point about which said latch is pivotally movable in a clockwisedirection under an applied collapsing force while the lever is in saiddeadlocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,701,157 Le Bon Feb. 1, 1955 2,742,309 Hillgren Apr. 17, 1956 2,789,852-Eads Apr. 23, 1957 2,924,475 Russell Feb. 9, 1960 2,928,689 Mineah Mar.15, 1960 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo. 3,041,097 June 26 1962 Charles L. Eads It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column l line 9, strike out "to", first occurrence; line 42, for"limitation" read limitations column 4, line 23 for "members" readmember line 63, for "Le Bon" read Le Bon III Signed and sealed this 20thday of November 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID D Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

